The Scottish writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) is best known for his creation of the character Sherlock Holmes. Trained as a medical doctor, Doyle - like many Victorian intellectuals - became fascinated by spiritualism and its promise of communication with the afterlife. Doyle was a firm believer in the movement, claiming as evidence 'sign[s] of a purposeful and organized invasion' from the spirit world. In 1926, towards the end of his life, he published this influential two-volume history. Volume 1 covers the background and origins of Victorian spiritualism, and focuses on key individuals including D. D. Home. It also reports on several scientific investigations of spiritualist phenomena. Volume 2 discusses celebrated mediums from 1870 to World War I, and topics including 'ectoplasm' and 'spirit photography'. The History provides valuable insights into Victorian and early twentieth-century culture and the controversies generated by spiritualism at that time.

Book Information
ISBN 9781108033220
Author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Page Count 732
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 960g